IPA Evidence Action Data Collection and Quality Associate MLIS Job in Kisumu Kenya

Position: Associate MLIS - Data Collection and Quality
Reporting To: Senior Associate MLIS – Data Collection and Quality
Location: Kisumu, Kenya with Domestic travels.

About Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA): IPA is an international non-profit research organization. Based in New Haven, CT, with offices in Washington, D.C. and worldwide, IPA works with development partners and academic researchers to create and evaluate approaches to solving development problems, to communicate “what works” in development and to scale up successful projects in a variety of fields, including health, education, microfinance, governance and agriculture.
 

About Evidence Action: Evidence Action is assuming management and growth responsibility for two programs tested and incubated at Innovations for Poverty Action that are currently making a difference in the lives of millions of people in Africa and Asia: the Deworm the World Initiative (DTW) and Dispensers for Safe Water (DSW). Evidence Action scales proven development interventions and crafts resilient business models for long run success.
 
Description: Evidence Action is providing Technical Support to a National Service Programme, which aims to:
1. Create enriching opportunities for over 30,000 unemployed Kenyan youth.
2. Improve educational outcomes for over 2 million primary school children.
As a part of this programme, Evidence Action has recruited recent university graduates to serve as Volunteer Graduate Assistants in primary schools, where they will provide education support and serve as ‘education ambassadors’ in the surrounding community.
This programme will also provide these volunteers with professional skills and increased access to top employers in Kenya.
 About Monitoring Learning and Information Systems (MLIS) Team: The MLIS team embodies the evidence-based nature of Evidence Action’s work and enables us to be a data-driven organization. The team provides services across Evidence Action Africa region in meeting the following outcomes:All ongoing program monitoring needs met (including M&E design and quality data collection)Programs delivered with access to timely and useful data for day-to-day programmatic planning and decision makingAnalysis and research conducted to support program improvements (including operation research, market research and cost-efficiency analysis)Support with timely, useful and clear information for evidence-based decision making (including provide support to connect the dots)Support provided to regional leadership for new programs and partnerships for exploration and evaluationStandards, systems and processes setup for delivery of all functions (monitoring, analysis, research, information systems and quality data)The MLIS team works towards these outcomes through four sub-teams that work closely together to deliver quality, timely and useful information:Learning and Communication (L&C): This team is responsible for supporting the program teams with timely information in innovative, useful and clear ways to translate analysis and research to evidence-based decision making and actionMonitoring, Analysis and Research (MAR): This team is responsible for ensuring that all ongoing program monitoring needs are met and analysis and research is conducted to support program improvements.Management Information Systems (MIS): This team is be responsible for ensuring that the all programs have access to timely and useful data for day-to-day programmatic planning and decision making through a cloud-based multi-user system.Data Quality and Management (DQM): This team is responsible for ensuring access to quality and timely data to meet all ongoing program needs; including monitoring, information systems and analysis and research.About the Position: Associate – Data Collection and Quality
The Associate - Data Collection and Quality is a member of the DQM team on the larger MLIS TEAM, and is responsible for ensuring the collection of quality data to meet ongoing program needs, with a primary focus on the specific program monitoring activities.
 Manage Data Collection Activities for the Program:Manage program data collection activities as maybe assigned, including, paper-based data collection and phone-based data collection for both quantitative and qualitative research.Work with program team(s) to train and manage all staff collecting data to ensure quality data collection; including tracking all data collection activities and conducting back-checks/spot-checksBased on the sampling guidelines, support regular sampling of field activities for deployment and develop and manage an efficient field schedule for all project field operationsMaintain an efficient system for tracking data collection activities, and support data tracking systems developed by the MIS team to make sure that no data collected from the field is lost in the process of data flow.Manage deployment of program monitoring staff to support expansion monitoring activities or any other data collection activities at the away office as needed.Update MLIS and program leadership on the data collection progress as needed.Serve as the primary person of contact between the program on matters data collection and monitoring and the MLIS team, and actively maintain a robust and dynamic feedback system between the program and MLIS, including feedback on data collection instruments and any other unexpected happenings from the field.Manage standards and best-practices for collecting; including conducting back-checks/spot-checks and documentation of field activities.Manage and contribute to innovative systems and tools to train staff and plan activitiesManage Field Team and field team Finances:Support the development of program budget and management of data collection finances, including identifying and making timely financial request and returns as well as tracking data collection expensesMaintain records of attendance, staff leave; extra days worked and related HR documents for timely submissions to the HR as required.Supporting procurement of goods, including sourcing for quotations, purchasing of office supplies and verifying the delivery of goods as necessaryEnsure proper management and storage of data collected, and documents and equipment that belong to the MLIS team.Ensure administrative and field operation related documents, activities and protocols are well documented.Collaborate with other teams for improved service delivery to programs:Work closely with the members DQM and program teams in the daily management of field staff in line with the division of responsibilities under the matrix system, and contribute to the field staff occasional evaluation of performance.Through Manager – DQM, forward any feedback concerning programming of electronic data collection instruments to Senior/Associate – Programming.Through Senior Associate – Data Collection, work with the IT team on establishing the right hardware and software requirements to collect timely and quality data.With support of Senior Associate - Data collection, work closely with the procurement team to procure necessary material for data collection as per the procurement policyWith guidance from Senior Associate Data Collection and Quality, support in other MLIS data collection and monitoring activities as needed.Qualifications, Experience and SkillsBachelor’s degree in Management, community work, project management or other social sciencesGood language skills in English and Kiswahili both spoken and written1-2 year experience in management and or doing monitoring and evaluation workStrong familiarity with Excel and other Microsoft office packagesExperience with mobile phone survey administration using Open Data Kit or other mobile phone platformGood People Management & leadership skills.Willingness to travel to the field for visits and supervisionGood conceptual skills with an analytical mind and problem solving skillsEmbraces team work and aspires and supports the ideals of working in a team work environment as a team championPassion to work in a rural community settingFlexible mind set and willingness to take challenging assignments not within the scope of this positionSelf-driven and highly motivated to deliver results within tight deadlines.Excellent communication skills. Ability to communicate well within the organization and with the rural communities and local leadersProactive and ambitious to support innovation and change in a dynamic working environmentPlease send a cover letter and detailed CV, 3 references, daytime phone number(s), and email address.Your CV should include details about your academic qualifications and any relevant work experience.
Applications can be submitted by email to jobs-kenya@poverty-action.org, please ensure that the subject line reads: “Associate- Data collection and quality “REF NO: Evidence Action-2014-05-04. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview. Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed on a ROLLING BASIS
Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the Associate – Data collection and quality. The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary. Please note that IPA will never request any form of payment from an applicant. Applicants are encouraged to confirm the information listed above with IPA prior to releasing any extensive personal information to the organization. Please direct questions to jobs-kenya@poverty-action.org.